Hanging telephone booth

ABSTRACT

A hanging telephone booth of simple, inexpensive construction for enclosing the head and upper part of the body of the user while the user stands or sits outside the booth, with most of his body outside thereof. The booth includes a shaped front shield and a shaped back shield which, when joined, form the booth by clamping means along a peripheral edge of the front and back shields.

United States Patent 1 1 8/1929 Sipe 52/465 X Anon 14 1 Aug. 7, 1973 [5 HANGING TELEPHONE BOOTH 2,789,493 4/1957 Riggle 52/302 x 3,300,917 1/1967 Bartley 52/36 [761 Invent P Vazquez P 16 3,331,145 7/1967 Amdahl 52/81 Vlllanueva Madfld, spam 3,341,989 9/1967 Emmerich... 52/465 D215,926 11/1969 Nawman D13ll L [22] 1971 3,571,988 3/1971 Nawman 013/1 L [21] Appl. No.: 207,064

Primary Examiner-John E. Murtagh [30] Foreign Application Priority Data Attorney-Kurt Kelman 71 6 Jan 21,19 Spam 1 5 419 A AC [52] 11.8. CI 52/27, 52/302, 52/393 A hanging telephone booth of p inexpensive [51] Int. Cl E0411 1/14 struction for enclosing the head and upper part of the [58] Field of Search D13/1 L; 52/27, 28, y of h er while the user stands or sits outside the 52/3 L, 79, 81, 393, 302 booth, with most of his body outside thereof. The booth includes a shaped front shield and a shaped back shield [56] References Cited which, when joined, form the booth by clamping means UNITED STATES PATENTS along a peripheral edge of the front and back shields. 1,723,307 8 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures HANGING TELEPHONE BOOTH This invention relates to a hanging telephone booth which only encloses the head and upper part of the body of the user, leaving the major part of the body of the user outside. More particularly, the present invention relates to a telephone booth of simple, inexpensive construction formed of a shaped front shield and a shaped back shield which, when joined, form the booth. Clamping means along a peripheral edge of the shields join the same together.

Telephone booths which are constructed to enclose essentially only the head of the user are known. Several types of such booths exist but none of these meets the technical and inexpensive construction requirements for telephone booths while maintaining acoustical, functional and, most importantly, health characteristics offered by the booth of this invention.

The present telephone booth provides a simple constructed, highly efficient booth which has a high degree of wear resistance. The telephone booth of this invention, generally stated, includes a shaped front shield, a shaped back shield which, when joined, form the booth, and clamping means along a peripheral edge of the shields for joining the same. A contour molding strip borders the entrance of the booth, prevents breakage of the shaped front shield, and provides protection to the user from edges of the shaped front shield. A U- shaped clamping means joins the front shield with the back shield, with an intermediate elastic member therebetween which facilitates adjustment for joining of the shields. Within the joined shields, means is provided to support a telephone which may be either a table or wall model, and a shelf for use in order to write notes, read memos, etc.

According to one preferred feature of the invention, a series of perforations are provided in the side of the back shield to serve as airing elements so that, after the booth has been used, the air is displaced before entry of another user. The displaced air leaves by the side perforations, thus eliminating possible germs, virus or other contamination of the air which the previous user might have spread. The configuration of the present booth, coupled with the side perforations, limits transmission of sound to users of other adjacent booths, and permits effective hearing within the booth being used.

In closed booths, such as those of the prior art, the acoustical flow within closed domes often makes hearing within the booth difficult. Use of the booth of the present invention, however, avoids this problem.

The arrangement of the side perforations effectively serves as ventilation means since, being diametrically opposed, the arrangement permits the establishment of a gentle current of air which avoids the stuffiness of closed booths, as well as the sound of noisy ventilation fans often required in closed booths to effect air circulation.

The present booth is easily assembled or disassembled, and may be conveniently transported, due to the small space it occupies in relation tois volume, since the shaped back shield lodges inside the front shield in a nesting arrangement. This convenience facilitates storing and transportation.

Since the present booth is constructed of hard plastic which may be transparent or colored, as desired, its weight is very light and its resistance to wear is very high. The shapes of the shield sections forming the present booth also serve as protectors for the user.

The mounting of the two shields of the present booth is carried out in a very easy manner, since only a simple U-shaped molding is required, which closes, adjusts and fastens by means of a joining member held in place by suitable means, such as screws or other fastening elements, as desired. The joining member joins the free ends of the U-shaped molding when in position about the peripheral edge or flange of the front and back shields.

For better understanding of this invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawing wherein like elements are identified by like numerals throughout the several veiws.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the telephone booth of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded side elevational view illustrating the present booth with relative association of elements;

FIG. 3 is a detailed sectional view taken along lines 3-3 of FIG. 1 and showing the joint formed when the front and back shields forming the present booth are mated; and

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a means for supporting the present booth on a wall, taken along lines 44 of FIG. 2

In the drawing, booth assembly 10 includes a shaped front shield 12 and a shaped back shield 14 formed of hard plastic. Shaped front shield 12 includes a modified elliptical entrance aperture defined by molding 16 over the edge of the shield. The aperture permits introduc tion of the head, bust and arms of a person with necessary comfort in order to be able to talk inside the booth. Molding 16 is U-shaped and may be metallic or plastic, as desired. A metallic molding is preferred to serve as a means to protect the edge of the shaped front shield 12 from contact and war damage. U-shaped molding 16 may be held in position by clamping member 13 which may be press fitted or otherwise held in position by adhesive, rivets or related means, as desired.

Shaped front shield 12 is open on the back side and includes a flange edge 18 forming a periphery thereof. Flange edge 11% is terminated by a slightly projecting, substantially perpendicular contacting surface which mates with a similarly configurated surface formed of flange edge 20 about the periphery of an open front of shpaed back shield M. Noting in particular FIG. 3, the present booth is formed by joining mating surfaces of flange edge 18 and flange edge 20 with elastic member 28 therebetween and within the substantially perpendicular contacting surfaces. Elastic member 28 may be formed of rubber, elastic plastic or the like and aids the clamping of the shields, using U-shaped molding 22.

Elastic member 28 aids the union of shields I2 and M, prevents breakage of the flanges by providing a stress release area, and permits the shields to remain in place even when under severe weather conditions.

U-shaped molding 22 is desirably formed of metal for strength purposes. This molding may be described as having a horseshoe configuration with its lower ends or free terminals turned in to be fastened to each other by joining member 24, illustrated in FIGS. 6, l and 2, which is held in position by screws 26. Using U-shaped molding 22, booth 10 is formed of shields l2 and 14 in a simple and easy manner. The booth may be disassembled and stored simply by nesting shield 12 in shield 14.

Shaped back shield 14 has, on diametrically opposed sides, a series of perforations 30 which serve for airing, and allow sound to come out only to a limited degree. These perforations also muffle and lower the noise level in the booth while at the same time they serve to evacuate a charged atmosphere which may have been left by a previous user. Air may be evacuated simply by entry of the head, bust and arms of a new user which effects rapid exit of the fouled air. The perforations also permit the establishment of an imperceptible current of ventilation by new air coming from outside of the booth.

Within shaped back shield 14, there is mounted in tilted position surface 32 formed of any appropriate material, such as wood, plastic, metal and the like, sufficient to serve as a support for the user and permit writing of notes, as desired.

On the rear side of shaped back shield 14, support bracket 34 is mounted and presents a flat surface to hold telephone 36. if a small shelf is affixed to support bracket 34, it is possible to place a table type telephone within the booth. Otherwise, a wall type telephone, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, may be mounted on the support bracket.

Booth may be mounted on a surface, such as wall 38 of FIG. 2, using screws, bolts or the like 40. As shown in detail in FIG. 4, screws 40 retain support bracket 34, desirably formed of metal, against back shield 14 by tubular sleeve or spacing members 42 which may be integral with the shield or separately formed, as desired.

Shelf 44 is shaped as a part of shield 14 to serve as a holding area for pencils or the like. Solely by way of example, the booth may have the following dimensions:

Total height: 85 to 95 cm.

Total height of the entrance opening: from 65 to 75 Total width of the booth: from 65 to 75 cm.

Medium width of the opening: from 48 to 55 cm.

Lower width of the opening: between 25 and 20 cm.

Total depth of the booth, upper part: from 40 to 50 Total depth of the booth, lower part: from 30 to 40 Width of the back plate, telephone support: from 22 to 30 cm.

Height of the back plate: from 42 to 50 cm.

Back of the support board: between 20 and 25 cm.

Inside width of same: between 22 and 27 cm.

Outside width of same: between 25 and 35 cm.

The various elements of the present booth, unless otherwise indicated, may be secured to adjoining elements by suitable means, such as bolts, welding, rivets or the like. In addition, support or reinforcement members may be included as part of the booth, where required.

Although a preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated herein, it is to be understood that various changes and modifications may be made in the construction and arrangement of elements without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A hanging telephone booth enclosing essentially only the head and upper part of the body of a user, which comprises in combination, a shaped front shield, a shaped back shield, and removable means for joining the front shield and the back shield along mating peripheral edges thereof, whereby the shields may be readily assembled and disassembled, said shaped front shield having an opening permitting entry of the head and shoulders of the user, and said shaped back shield having means for supporting a telephone along a rear portion thereof, and wherein the front and back shields are conformingly shaped whereby, upon removal of the joil'ting means and resultant disassembly of the booth, one of the shields may be nested in the other shield.

2. The booth of claim 1, wherein diametrically opposed side walls of the shaped back shield have ventilating perforations therein.

3. The booth of claim 1, wherein said means for joining is a U-shaped molding removably clamped about the mating peripheral edges.

4. The booth of claim 2, wherein an elastic member is positioned between the mating peripheral edges.

5. The booth of claim 2, wherein the U-shaped molding is substantially horse shoe shaped, with its ends turned inwardly to be adjacent each other, and further comprising fast securing member fastened over the ends of the molding.

6. The booth of claim 1, wherein a metal molding strip is disposed over the edge of the shaped front shield defining the opening thereof.

7. The booth of claim 1, wherein the means for supporting the telephone is a flat support surface.

8. The booth of claim 1, further comprising a tilted surface along the lower portion of the shaped back shield to serve as a writing surface. 

1. A hanging telephone booth enclosing essentially only the head and upper part of the body of a user, which comprises in combination, a shaped front shield, a shaped back shield, and removable means for joining the front shield and the back shield along mating peripheral edges thereof, whereby the shields may be readily assembled and disassembled, said shaped front shield having an opening permitting entry of the head and shoulders of the user, and said shaped back shield having means for supporting a telephone along a rear portion thereof, and wherein the front and back shields are conformingly shaped whereby, upon removal of the joining means and resultant disassembly of the booth, one of the shields may be nested in the other shield.
 2. The booth of claim 1, wherein diametrically opposed side walls of the shaped back shield have ventilating perforations therein.
 3. The booth of claim 1, wherein said means for joining is a U-shaped molding removably clamped about the mating peripheral edges.
 4. The booth of claim 2, wherein an elastic member is positioned between the mating peripheral edges.
 5. The booth of claim 2, wherein the U-shaped molding is substantially horse shoe shaped, with its ends turned inwardly to be adjacent each other, and further comprising fast securing member fastened over the ends of the molding.
 6. The booth of claim 1, wherein a metal molding strip is disposed over the edge of the shaped front shield defining the opening thereof.
 7. The booth of claim 1, wherein the means for supporting the telephone is a flat support surface.
 8. The booth of claim 1, further comprising a tilted surface along the lower portion of the shaped back shield to serve as a writing surface. 